Update, Saturday Am: Authorities now say 133 people are dead in the concert hall attack. Russia’s top state investigative agency said Saturday they have arrested 11 suspects, four directly involved in the onslaught.
“All four direct perpetrators of the terrorist attack, all those who shot and killed people, were found and detained,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said. “They tried to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them from the Ukrainian side to cross the state border.”
He declared Sun., March 24, a day of mourning.
Updated with details and White House statement: The Associated Press, CNN and other outlets are reporting that Isis has claimed responsibility for the attack at a Moscow concert hall that left least 40 people are dead and 100 others wounded. AP reported that the claim was posted by the group’s Aamaq news agency, but “it was not immediately possible...
“All four direct perpetrators of the terrorist attack, all those who shot and killed people, were found and detained,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said. “They tried to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them from the Ukrainian side to cross the state border.”
He declared Sun., March 24, a day of mourning.
Updated with details and White House statement: The Associated Press, CNN and other outlets are reporting that Isis has claimed responsibility for the attack at a Moscow concert hall that left least 40 people are dead and 100 others wounded. AP reported that the claim was posted by the group’s Aamaq news agency, but “it was not immediately possible...
- 3/23/2024
- by Erik Pedersen and Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Russian agents tried to assassinate a CIA informant on U.S. soil in 2020.
The goal was to kill a former Russian agent who had defected to the U.S., which led to a counterintelligence review that resulted in the capture of around 10 spies along the East Coast of the United States.
The former agent’s attempted assassination is the latest uncovered retaliation by Vladimir Putin against Russian defectors living outside the country.
Three former U.S. officials spoke to The New York Times about how Russian agents had targeted Aleksandr Poteyev and tracked him around his new residence in Miami, Florida.
Hector Alejandro Cabrera Fuentes, a Mexican scientist who was allegedly forced to cooperate after his family was prevented from leaving Russia, rented an apartment near Poteyev to spy on him. Fuentes and his wife were later recorded by security cameras taking pictures of Poteyev’s license plate. Believing they had given themselves away,...
The goal was to kill a former Russian agent who had defected to the U.S., which led to a counterintelligence review that resulted in the capture of around 10 spies along the East Coast of the United States.
The former agent’s attempted assassination is the latest uncovered retaliation by Vladimir Putin against Russian defectors living outside the country.
Three former U.S. officials spoke to The New York Times about how Russian agents had targeted Aleksandr Poteyev and tracked him around his new residence in Miami, Florida.
Hector Alejandro Cabrera Fuentes, a Mexican scientist who was allegedly forced to cooperate after his family was prevented from leaving Russia, rented an apartment near Poteyev to spy on him. Fuentes and his wife were later recorded by security cameras taking pictures of Poteyev’s license plate. Believing they had given themselves away,...
- 6/23/2023
- by Alex Nguyen
- Uinterview
There’s never been a better year to be a David Tennant fan – the man’s the very definition of “booked and busy”.
You could have been forgiven for thinking he’d had a pretty unbeatable year back in 2005, when (among other things) he starred in two of that year’s biggest TV and film successes, both beginning his tenure as the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who and playing Barty Crouch Jr in Harry Potter and The Goblet Of Fire.
But almost 20 years later, Tennant’s demand has only continued growing, so much so that these days it’s almost easier to list the blockbuster shows and franchises that don’t involve David Tennant.
Add to that acting roles for Georgia Tennant, his wife, and three of their five children (so far!), and there’s a whole smorgasbord of Tennant talent on offer.
Let’s take a look at what...
You could have been forgiven for thinking he’d had a pretty unbeatable year back in 2005, when (among other things) he starred in two of that year’s biggest TV and film successes, both beginning his tenure as the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who and playing Barty Crouch Jr in Harry Potter and The Goblet Of Fire.
But almost 20 years later, Tennant’s demand has only continued growing, so much so that these days it’s almost easier to list the blockbuster shows and franchises that don’t involve David Tennant.
Add to that acting roles for Georgia Tennant, his wife, and three of their five children (so far!), and there’s a whole smorgasbord of Tennant talent on offer.
Let’s take a look at what...
- 6/14/2023
- by Lauravickersgreen
- Den of Geek
Most true crime dramas retell stories from long enough ago that many viewers weren’t alive to hear about them the first time around, from David Tennant’s portrayal of 1980s serial killer Dennis Nilsen in Des to The Serpent, the BBC drama about 1970s murderer Charles Sobhraj. But ITV’s latest example, The Hunt for Raoul Moat, depicts a violent crime so recent that we don’t just remember hearing about it, we remember tweeting about it.
In 2010, Raoul Moat shot three people in Northumberland: his ex-girlfriend, Samantha Stobbart, was seriously injured, her partner Chris Brown died, and police officer David Rathband was blinded and later took his own life. A six-day manhunt gripped the nation, culminating in a police stand-off at a riverbank, where Moat shot himself. Dramatising such a recent tragedy has attracted criticism – including from the families of Stobbart and Rathband – and led many to wonder:...
In 2010, Raoul Moat shot three people in Northumberland: his ex-girlfriend, Samantha Stobbart, was seriously injured, her partner Chris Brown died, and police officer David Rathband was blinded and later took his own life. A six-day manhunt gripped the nation, culminating in a police stand-off at a riverbank, where Moat shot himself. Dramatising such a recent tragedy has attracted criticism – including from the families of Stobbart and Rathband – and led many to wonder:...
- 4/19/2023
- by Lauravickersgreen
- Den of Geek
BAFTA-winning producer Patrick Spence is leaving ITV Studios after three years, Variety has confirmed.
Spence, who serves as creative director, will leave at the end of March, ITV Studios managing director Julian Bellamy told staff via an internal memo on Thursday. Spence will continue to partner with ITV Studios on upcoming projects including “People vs. Post Office” (working title).
Spence joined ITV Studios in 2020 and secured several acclaimed commissions, including the BBC’s drama-romance “Ralph & Katie,” a spin-off of “The A Word,” about the lives of a couple with Down syndrome; Itvx’s “Litvinenko,” about the investigation into the death of Russian defector Alexander Litvinenko; the BAFTA-nominated Cold War spy drama “A Spy Among Friends,” also for Itvx; and post-pandemic frontline medical drama “Maternal” for ITV.
The producer spent 15 years in commissioning and production at the BBC. He served as head of drama for Northern Ireland from 2003 to 2010. In...
Spence, who serves as creative director, will leave at the end of March, ITV Studios managing director Julian Bellamy told staff via an internal memo on Thursday. Spence will continue to partner with ITV Studios on upcoming projects including “People vs. Post Office” (working title).
Spence joined ITV Studios in 2020 and secured several acclaimed commissions, including the BBC’s drama-romance “Ralph & Katie,” a spin-off of “The A Word,” about the lives of a couple with Down syndrome; Itvx’s “Litvinenko,” about the investigation into the death of Russian defector Alexander Litvinenko; the BAFTA-nominated Cold War spy drama “A Spy Among Friends,” also for Itvx; and post-pandemic frontline medical drama “Maternal” for ITV.
The producer spent 15 years in commissioning and production at the BBC. He served as head of drama for Northern Ireland from 2003 to 2010. In...
- 3/24/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Patrick Spence, the executive producer behind Itvx/MGM+ series A Spy Among Friends, is leaving ITV Studios after more than three years.
Patrick Spence
Julian Bellamy, Managing Director of ITV Studios, told staff on Thursday that Spence would be stepping down, with his next venture yet to be confirmed.
He joined ITV Studios in early 2020 from Fifty Fathoms, the drama production label that was part of Endemol Shine Group before it was acquired by Banijay.
As well as the Guy Pearce and Damian Lewis espionage series A Spy Among Friends, he made David Tennant drama Litvinenko, which chronicled the poisoning of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.
Spence previously executive produced Sky’s Fortitude and BBC drama The A Word.
Patrick Spence
Julian Bellamy, Managing Director of ITV Studios, told staff on Thursday that Spence would be stepping down, with his next venture yet to be confirmed.
He joined ITV Studios in early 2020 from Fifty Fathoms, the drama production label that was part of Endemol Shine Group before it was acquired by Banijay.
As well as the Guy Pearce and Damian Lewis espionage series A Spy Among Friends, he made David Tennant drama Litvinenko, which chronicled the poisoning of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.
Spence previously executive produced Sky’s Fortitude and BBC drama The A Word.
- 3/24/2023
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Benedict Cumberbatch has entered into final negotiations to star in the Netflix limited series ‘Eric.’
Set in 80’s New York, the six-episode series would see Cumberbatch take on the role of Vincent Sullivan, the lead puppet maker and puppeteer of America’s most popular children’s show, whose life begins to unravel when his young son, Edgar, disappears. Now homeless and dealing with substance addiction, Vincent finds his only companion is Eric, a seven-foot-tall blue puppet, who leads him on a journey to find his son and find a way home.
Also in news – Gabriel Byrne cast in ‘John Wick’ spin-off ‘Ballerina’
The series comes from the creative mind of Abi Morgan who writes and executive produces the project. Jane Featherstone, Lucy Dyke, and Carolyn Strauss of Sister will also executive produce, with Lucy Forbes directing. Morgan executive produces via Little Chick.
Cumberbatch has previously starred in Showtime’s ‘Patrick Melrose,...
Set in 80’s New York, the six-episode series would see Cumberbatch take on the role of Vincent Sullivan, the lead puppet maker and puppeteer of America’s most popular children’s show, whose life begins to unravel when his young son, Edgar, disappears. Now homeless and dealing with substance addiction, Vincent finds his only companion is Eric, a seven-foot-tall blue puppet, who leads him on a journey to find his son and find a way home.
Also in news – Gabriel Byrne cast in ‘John Wick’ spin-off ‘Ballerina’
The series comes from the creative mind of Abi Morgan who writes and executive produces the project. Jane Featherstone, Lucy Dyke, and Carolyn Strauss of Sister will also executive produce, with Lucy Forbes directing. Morgan executive produces via Little Chick.
Cumberbatch has previously starred in Showtime’s ‘Patrick Melrose,...
- 1/5/2023
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Benedict Cumberbatch is in final talks to star in the Netflix limited series “Eric,” Variety has learned exclusively from sources.
The six-episode series was originally announced in November 2021. Set in 1980’s New York, the show would see Cumberbatch star as Vincent Sullivan, the lead puppet maker and puppeteer of America’s most popular children’s show, whose life begins to unravel when his young son, Edgar, disappears. Now homeless and dealing with substance addiction, Vincent finds his only companion is Eric, a seven-foot tall blue puppet, who leads him on a journey to find his son and to find a way home.
Netflix declined to comment.
The series hails from writer and executive producer Abi Morgan, whose past onscreen writing credits include shows like “Sex Traffick” and the Emmy-winning series “The Hour,” as well as films like “The Iron Lady,” “The Invisible Woman,” and “Suffragette.” Jane Featherstone, Lucy Dyke, and...
The six-episode series was originally announced in November 2021. Set in 1980’s New York, the show would see Cumberbatch star as Vincent Sullivan, the lead puppet maker and puppeteer of America’s most popular children’s show, whose life begins to unravel when his young son, Edgar, disappears. Now homeless and dealing with substance addiction, Vincent finds his only companion is Eric, a seven-foot tall blue puppet, who leads him on a journey to find his son and to find a way home.
Netflix declined to comment.
The series hails from writer and executive producer Abi Morgan, whose past onscreen writing credits include shows like “Sex Traffick” and the Emmy-winning series “The Hour,” as well as films like “The Iron Lady,” “The Invisible Woman,” and “Suffragette.” Jane Featherstone, Lucy Dyke, and...
- 1/4/2023
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Anyone watching the new Itvx drama Litvinenko will hear something very strange. Something very unsettling indeed: David Tennant’s Russian accent.
In the show, Tennant is playing Alexander Litvinenko, the former Russian spy who claimed that his murder (via a poisoned green tea in a London hotel) was ordered by Vladimir Putin in 2006.
Litvinenko’s death sparked an investigation into a chemical attack in the UK capital and a 10-year investigation between Britain and Russia to find justice for his killing.
With this role, Tennant has joined the long list of actors we’ve seen playing international characters, while speaking English in various accents. For some reason, the creators of TV and film still don’t think viewers can get over the one-inch-tall barrier that is subtitles, as Parasite director Bong Joon-ho so perfectly put it.
But if Jared Leto’s Italian accent in House of Gucci wasn’t surreal enough,...
In the show, Tennant is playing Alexander Litvinenko, the former Russian spy who claimed that his murder (via a poisoned green tea in a London hotel) was ordered by Vladimir Putin in 2006.
Litvinenko’s death sparked an investigation into a chemical attack in the UK capital and a 10-year investigation between Britain and Russia to find justice for his killing.
With this role, Tennant has joined the long list of actors we’ve seen playing international characters, while speaking English in various accents. For some reason, the creators of TV and film still don’t think viewers can get over the one-inch-tall barrier that is subtitles, as Parasite director Bong Joon-ho so perfectly put it.
But if Jared Leto’s Italian accent in House of Gucci wasn’t surreal enough,...
- 12/16/2022
- by Ellie Harrison
- The Independent - TV
If you watched David Tennant’s captivating portrayal of Alexander Litvinenko as he lay dying and thought ‘You know what this needs? More arias’, then guess what? You’re in luck.
The bold, furious, highly effective Itvx drama Litvinenko might have left you wondering where you can find out more about what happened, or where else you can see this tragic, stranger-than-fiction true story brought to life. Believe it or not, the answers to both of these questions includes a modern opera.
The Life and Death of Alexander Litvinenko was written by former banker Anthony Bolton and debuted at Surrey’s Grange Park Opera in 2021:
Set over two acts, the opera tells the story using a multitude of flashbacks and flash-forwards, including the Moscow theatre siege in 2002 (which Litvinenko claimed was ordered by Russia’s own security services) to his exile from Russia and eventual assassination in London in...
The bold, furious, highly effective Itvx drama Litvinenko might have left you wondering where you can find out more about what happened, or where else you can see this tragic, stranger-than-fiction true story brought to life. Believe it or not, the answers to both of these questions includes a modern opera.
The Life and Death of Alexander Litvinenko was written by former banker Anthony Bolton and debuted at Surrey’s Grange Park Opera in 2021:
Set over two acts, the opera tells the story using a multitude of flashbacks and flash-forwards, including the Moscow theatre siege in 2002 (which Litvinenko claimed was ordered by Russia’s own security services) to his exile from Russia and eventual assassination in London in...
- 12/16/2022
- by Lauravickersgreen
- Den of Geek
Click here to read the full article.
AMC+ and Sundance Now’s Litvinenko and the second season of Netflix’s Last Chance U: Basketball are premiering in the same week, but you can expect that precious few reviews will note that the two shows — one a scripted docudrama and the other an unscripted docuseries — suffer, to different degrees, from a common flaw: If you’re dedicated to actively depicting reality, that can sometimes require accepting, or even embracing, the narrative limitations of reality.
In Last Chance U: Basketball, the return to East Los Angeles College in the aftermath of a year lost to Covid-19 forces coach John Mosley to struggle with finding the soul of a team that needs to replace all of its stars from last season. He bemoans a directionless squad that lacks leadership and cohesion and, for several episodes, that means the season does as well. The...
AMC+ and Sundance Now’s Litvinenko and the second season of Netflix’s Last Chance U: Basketball are premiering in the same week, but you can expect that precious few reviews will note that the two shows — one a scripted docudrama and the other an unscripted docuseries — suffer, to different degrees, from a common flaw: If you’re dedicated to actively depicting reality, that can sometimes require accepting, or even embracing, the narrative limitations of reality.
In Last Chance U: Basketball, the return to East Los Angeles College in the aftermath of a year lost to Covid-19 forces coach John Mosley to struggle with finding the soul of a team that needs to replace all of its stars from last season. He bemoans a directionless squad that lacks leadership and cohesion and, for several episodes, that means the season does as well. The...
- 12/15/2022
- by Daniel Fienberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
On a balmy Tuesday morning in September last year, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the Russian government was responsible for the 2006 murder of Alexander Litvinenko, the Fsb officer turned whistleblower whose green tea was poisoned with the radioactive element polonium at a London hotel. On the same day, Margarita Levieva, in costume as his wife Marina, was laying Litvinenko, played by David Tennant, to rest at Highgate Cemetery. It was the final scene for the ITV mini-series Litvinenko. “How auspicious,” says Levieva of the timing. In between takes, she texted the real-life Marina congratulations. The EU court’s ruling was the result of a 15-year-long campaign led by Marina to have her husband’s killers publicly acknowledged.
The 42-year-old Levieva is calling from Wales, where she is filming the much-anticipated Star Wars: Acolyte series. Litvinenko is a very different, more serious beast. The four-part series follows Litvinenko...
The 42-year-old Levieva is calling from Wales, where she is filming the much-anticipated Star Wars: Acolyte series. Litvinenko is a very different, more serious beast. The four-part series follows Litvinenko...
- 12/15/2022
- by Annabel Nugent
- The Independent - TV
The world was a different place in 2006 when former Fsb agent Alexander Litvinenko hit global headlines. This was years before Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, the poisoning of Sergei Skripal in 2018, and even longer before its invasion of Ukraine earlier this year. This was a strange time when Vladimir Putin was still hanging out with George W Bush and Tony Blair; still a tolerated member of the international community. But, as screenwriter George Kay’s new drama on the Itvx streaming service shows, that all began to change with a drop of polonium in a teapot.
The Litvinenko story unravelled extremely quickly. Three weeks after falling ill, Litvinenko was dead – and by that point, his face had been splashed on newspapers around the world. Kay’s series takes the same approach: within the first few seconds, Litvinenko is vomiting into a toilet. By the end of the episode, he will be dead.
The Litvinenko story unravelled extremely quickly. Three weeks after falling ill, Litvinenko was dead – and by that point, his face had been splashed on newspapers around the world. Kay’s series takes the same approach: within the first few seconds, Litvinenko is vomiting into a toilet. By the end of the episode, he will be dead.
- 12/15/2022
- by Nick Hilton
- The Independent - TV
Exclusive: The Deuce and Revenge actress Margarita Levieva has signed with Paradigm in all areas. In addition, we’ve learned she booked a guest star role on Disney+’s upcoming The Acolyte. She continues to be repped by Silver Lining Entertainment.
The Acolyte is a mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era. A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated. Levieva joins a cast that includes Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Jodie Turner-Smith, Dafne Keen, Rebecca Henderson, Charlie Barnett, Dean-Charles Chapman and Carrie-Anne Moss in the Lucasfilm series which is currently shooting in the UK with creator, showrunner and executive producer Leslye Headland.
Levieva was most recently seen starring in the hit Netflix series In From The Cold,...
The Acolyte is a mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era. A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated. Levieva joins a cast that includes Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Jodie Turner-Smith, Dafne Keen, Rebecca Henderson, Charlie Barnett, Dean-Charles Chapman and Carrie-Anne Moss in the Lucasfilm series which is currently shooting in the UK with creator, showrunner and executive producer Leslye Headland.
Levieva was most recently seen starring in the hit Netflix series In From The Cold,...
- 12/2/2022
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
On the 8th of December, ITV Hub is being replaced by ITV’s brand-new streaming service, Itvx. Yes, this might seem like the latest in a long line of rebrands that don’t appear to change anything concrete but Itvx will host new and exclusive programmes.
Like ITV Hub currently, you’ll also be able to watch the ITV channels live on Itvx – although let’s hope the new service has ironed out the live-streaming problems that frustrated so many football fans during last year’s Euros.
Itvx: Free and Paid For Options (Including BritBox)
Itvx will have over 10,000 hours of content to stream for free, including past and present ITV dramas and documentaries, some US series, and hundreds of films (including the Back to the Future trilogy).
There’s also a paid subscription option which removes adverts and also includes BritBox – the boxset streaming service which ITV formerly collaborated...
Like ITV Hub currently, you’ll also be able to watch the ITV channels live on Itvx – although let’s hope the new service has ironed out the live-streaming problems that frustrated so many football fans during last year’s Euros.
Itvx: Free and Paid For Options (Including BritBox)
Itvx will have over 10,000 hours of content to stream for free, including past and present ITV dramas and documentaries, some US series, and hundreds of films (including the Back to the Future trilogy).
There’s also a paid subscription option which removes adverts and also includes BritBox – the boxset streaming service which ITV formerly collaborated...
- 11/15/2022
- by Lauravickersgreen
- Den of Geek
David Tennant has a lot more on his plate than his return to the world of "Doctor Who," as Itvx revealed in the first look at the British actor from the upcoming miniseries, "Litvinenko." The image is a recreation of the internationally famous photo of Russian defector Alexander Litvinenko in a University College Hospital bed shortly before his passing, taken in the midst of one of the most dangerous criminal investigations in the history of London's Metropolitan Police.
For the uninitiated, Litvinenko was a former Russian Federal Security Services and Kgb officer who died of polonium-210 poisoning in November 2006, claiming that he had been poisoned on the direct orders of Vladimir Putin as punishment for his dissident. He was a prominent critic of Putin, advising U.K. intelligence on the Russians, and coining the term "mafia state."
In the days leading up to his death, Litvinenko provided a litany of information...
For the uninitiated, Litvinenko was a former Russian Federal Security Services and Kgb officer who died of polonium-210 poisoning in November 2006, claiming that he had been poisoned on the direct orders of Vladimir Putin as punishment for his dissident. He was a prominent critic of Putin, advising U.K. intelligence on the Russians, and coining the term "mafia state."
In the days leading up to his death, Litvinenko provided a litany of information...
- 11/7/2022
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Buffy fans are supporting Charisma Carpenter after her criticism of spin-off show Angel.
The actor, who played Cordelia Chase in both series, shared her view on the spin-off after being tagged into a Twitter post depicting an old photo of actor Matthew Perry and his mother, Suzanne.
The Twiter user drew a comparison between Perry’s mother and Carpenter, writing: “Here we have #MatthewPerry with his mother #CharismaCarpenter.”
Carpenter responded to the tweet, stating: “Just as problematic as Angel season 4. Only this time I gave birth to someone older than me and is some kind of Keanu Reeves hating demon.”
The actor was referencing two things: one, Perry’s recent comments about the Matrix and John Wick actor Reeves in his memoir.
The Friends star raised eyebrows after repeatedly questioning why other actors die while Reeves is still alive. He later apologised for the comments, saying in a statement: “I...
The actor, who played Cordelia Chase in both series, shared her view on the spin-off after being tagged into a Twitter post depicting an old photo of actor Matthew Perry and his mother, Suzanne.
The Twiter user drew a comparison between Perry’s mother and Carpenter, writing: “Here we have #MatthewPerry with his mother #CharismaCarpenter.”
Carpenter responded to the tweet, stating: “Just as problematic as Angel season 4. Only this time I gave birth to someone older than me and is some kind of Keanu Reeves hating demon.”
The actor was referencing two things: one, Perry’s recent comments about the Matrix and John Wick actor Reeves in his memoir.
The Friends star raised eyebrows after repeatedly questioning why other actors die while Reeves is still alive. He later apologised for the comments, saying in a statement: “I...
- 11/7/2022
- by Jacob Stolworthy
- The Independent - TV
The first image of David Tennant as Alexander Litvinenko has been released.
Tennant will portray the late Russian spy in the drama series, Litvinenko, about the death of Litvinenko in 2006.
His death came 22 days after being poisoned with a rare and difficult-to-detect radioactive substance, Polonium-210, at a London hotel.
Prior to his death, he gave interviews to the police from his hospital bed, containing information that would ultimately lead investigators to the people responsible for his poisoning.
Created by George Kay, Litvinenko will tell the story of his widow, Marina (Margarita Levieva), and her battle to convince the British government to publicly name her husband’s killers and acknowledge the Russian State’s role in his murder.
The first image released by ITV shows Tennant as the spy in a hospital bed, with no hair and a gaunt appearance.
It is a nearly exact replica of a photo of Litvinenko...
Tennant will portray the late Russian spy in the drama series, Litvinenko, about the death of Litvinenko in 2006.
His death came 22 days after being poisoned with a rare and difficult-to-detect radioactive substance, Polonium-210, at a London hotel.
Prior to his death, he gave interviews to the police from his hospital bed, containing information that would ultimately lead investigators to the people responsible for his poisoning.
Created by George Kay, Litvinenko will tell the story of his widow, Marina (Margarita Levieva), and her battle to convince the British government to publicly name her husband’s killers and acknowledge the Russian State’s role in his murder.
The first image released by ITV shows Tennant as the spy in a hospital bed, with no hair and a gaunt appearance.
It is a nearly exact replica of a photo of Litvinenko...
- 11/7/2022
- by Nicole Vassell
- The Independent - TV
Peacock has set a release date and trailer for “Once Upon a Time in Londongrad,” its 6-part documentary about Russian oligarchs and the reaches of Vladimir Putin beyond Russia.
The series, from Buzzfeed Studios and Rise Films, is set to premiere on Nov. 15 on the streaming platform.
“Once Upon a Time in Londongrad” is directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Jed Rothstein (“WeWork”).
It follows BuzzFeed News investigative reporter Heidi Blake as she follows a tip about the death of a multi-millionaire property tycoon, which leads her to dig into a tangled web that ensnares Russian oligarchs, the U.K. government and Washington D.C and takes in the shocking poisoning of Russian defector and Putin critic Alexander Litvinenko, the suspicious death of Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky, who was found dead at his ex-wife’s house in Ascot, and the attempted assignation of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal.
“Set across Vladimir Putin’s two decades in power,...
The series, from Buzzfeed Studios and Rise Films, is set to premiere on Nov. 15 on the streaming platform.
“Once Upon a Time in Londongrad” is directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Jed Rothstein (“WeWork”).
It follows BuzzFeed News investigative reporter Heidi Blake as she follows a tip about the death of a multi-millionaire property tycoon, which leads her to dig into a tangled web that ensnares Russian oligarchs, the U.K. government and Washington D.C and takes in the shocking poisoning of Russian defector and Putin critic Alexander Litvinenko, the suspicious death of Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky, who was found dead at his ex-wife’s house in Ascot, and the attempted assignation of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal.
“Set across Vladimir Putin’s two decades in power,...
- 10/17/2022
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
AMC+ and Sundance Now have acquired the U.S. rights to Litvinenko, the upcoming poisoned spy drama starring David Tennant. As reported by Variety, AMC Networks’ Sundance Now and AMC+ have picked up the exclusive U.S. rights to the series, while Amazon’s Prime Video has landed the drama in Canada. This comes ahead of the show’s U.K. debut, which will air on ITV’s forthcoming streaming service, Itvx, which launches this fall. Written by George Kay (Lupin), the four-part series tells the real-life story of Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian Federal Security Services and Kgb officer, who was poisoned to death via polonium in November 2006. Litvinenko’s death triggered one of the most complex and dangerous investigations in the history of Britain’s Metropolitan Police. Tennant will play the former Kgb officer, while Margarita Levieva (The Deuce) will portray his fearless wife, Marina, who fought tirelessly...
- 10/17/2022
- TV Insider
Itvx and Viaplay four-partner Litvinenko, which will see David Tennant playing the doomed Russian dissident, has sold into 80 territories ahead of its launch. AMC+ and Sundance Now have taken rights in the U.S., while Prime Video bagged Canada from distributor ITV Studios.
Written by acclaimed screenwriter, George Kay, the show has also sold to M6 in France, ProSiebenSat.1 in Germany, Sky Italia, Seven Network in Australia, Tvnz in New Zealand and Now TV in Hong Kong. Viacom18 took Indian sub-continent rights, while BookMyShow will hold TVoD rights in India through its BookMyShow Stream platform. Elsewhere, M-Net has scored a pan-Africa deal.
The original commissioners were upcoming UK streaming service Itvx and Viaplay for the Nordics, Netherlands, Poland and Baltics.
Written by acclaimed screenwriter, George Kay and produced by Patrick Spence, ITV Studios, and Tiger Aspect Productions, Litvinenko tells the story of Alexander Litvinenko, the former...
Written by acclaimed screenwriter, George Kay, the show has also sold to M6 in France, ProSiebenSat.1 in Germany, Sky Italia, Seven Network in Australia, Tvnz in New Zealand and Now TV in Hong Kong. Viacom18 took Indian sub-continent rights, while BookMyShow will hold TVoD rights in India through its BookMyShow Stream platform. Elsewhere, M-Net has scored a pan-Africa deal.
The original commissioners were upcoming UK streaming service Itvx and Viaplay for the Nordics, Netherlands, Poland and Baltics.
Written by acclaimed screenwriter, George Kay and produced by Patrick Spence, ITV Studios, and Tiger Aspect Productions, Litvinenko tells the story of Alexander Litvinenko, the former...
- 10/17/2022
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Cannes — The four-part drama “Litvinenko,” starring Scottish actor David Tennant, has sold to more than 80 international markets, ahead of its debut on the new ITV streaming service, Itvx in the U.K., and on Nent Group’s Viaplay streaming service in the Nordics, Netherlands, Poland and the Baltics.
AMC Networks’ Sundance Now and AMC+ have acquired the exclusive U.S. rights to the drama, and Prime Video has taken the series in Canada.
In Europe, “Litvinenko” will air on M6 in France, ProSiebenSat.1 in Germany, and Sky Italia, amongst others.
In the Asia Pacific region, Seven Network Australia, Tvnz (New Zealand), and Now TV in Hong Kong are amongst those to have picked up the rights, along with Viacom 18 which will make the title available on the Indian subcontinent. BookMyShow will hold the Tvod rights in India, through its platform BookMyShow Stream, and M-Net has taken the drama for pan-Africa.
AMC Networks’ Sundance Now and AMC+ have acquired the exclusive U.S. rights to the drama, and Prime Video has taken the series in Canada.
In Europe, “Litvinenko” will air on M6 in France, ProSiebenSat.1 in Germany, and Sky Italia, amongst others.
In the Asia Pacific region, Seven Network Australia, Tvnz (New Zealand), and Now TV in Hong Kong are amongst those to have picked up the rights, along with Viacom 18 which will make the title available on the Indian subcontinent. BookMyShow will hold the Tvod rights in India, through its platform BookMyShow Stream, and M-Net has taken the drama for pan-Africa.
- 10/17/2022
- by Liza Foreman
- Variety Film + TV
The David Tennant-starring “Litvinenko” has sold into AMC+ and Sundance Now in the U.S., along with a host of other buyers in 80 international markets.
The drama has pre-sold ahead of its debut on ITV’s forthcoming U.K. streaming service Itvx, which launches this fall, and Nent Group’s Viaplay streaming service in the Nordics, Netherlands, Poland and Baltics.
Written by George Kay (“Lupin”) and produced by Patrick Spence, ITV Studios and Tiger Aspect Productions, the drama tells the story of Alexander Litvinenko, the former Russian Federal Security Services and Kgb officer, whose death from polonium poisoning in November 2006 triggered one of the most complex and dangerous investigations in the history of the Metropolitan Police.
AMC Networks’ Sundance Now and AMC+ have acquired the exclusive U.S. rights to the drama, while Amazon’s Prime Video has taken the series in Canada.
In Europe “Litvinenko” will air on M6 France,...
The drama has pre-sold ahead of its debut on ITV’s forthcoming U.K. streaming service Itvx, which launches this fall, and Nent Group’s Viaplay streaming service in the Nordics, Netherlands, Poland and Baltics.
Written by George Kay (“Lupin”) and produced by Patrick Spence, ITV Studios and Tiger Aspect Productions, the drama tells the story of Alexander Litvinenko, the former Russian Federal Security Services and Kgb officer, whose death from polonium poisoning in November 2006 triggered one of the most complex and dangerous investigations in the history of the Metropolitan Police.
AMC Networks’ Sundance Now and AMC+ have acquired the exclusive U.S. rights to the drama, while Amazon’s Prime Video has taken the series in Canada.
In Europe “Litvinenko” will air on M6 France,...
- 10/17/2022
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Judging from the buzz around 2022 dramas like Inventing Anna, The Staircase and The Girl from Plainville, our appetite for true crime series isn’t going anywhere. From grisly murder to exquisite scams, these powerful stories based on real-life events have us hooked.
Most of the year’s biggest true crime dramas have so far focussed on tales from the USA, but if you’re looking for unbelievable criminal cases from the UK, there’s plenty of must-watch series depicting some of the country’s most notorious criminal scandals coming later this year and beyond. Here’s a few to add to your watch list.
The Reckoning (BBC – later in 2022)
Actor, comedian and Alan Partridge creator Steve Coogan is set to portray the life-long sexual predator and disgraced TV presenter Jimmy Savile.
After the disturbing and harrowing Netflix documentary Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story aired earlier this year, many have...
Most of the year’s biggest true crime dramas have so far focussed on tales from the USA, but if you’re looking for unbelievable criminal cases from the UK, there’s plenty of must-watch series depicting some of the country’s most notorious criminal scandals coming later this year and beyond. Here’s a few to add to your watch list.
The Reckoning (BBC – later in 2022)
Actor, comedian and Alan Partridge creator Steve Coogan is set to portray the life-long sexual predator and disgraced TV presenter Jimmy Savile.
After the disturbing and harrowing Netflix documentary Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story aired earlier this year, many have...
- 8/11/2022
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
Exclusive: Hulu’s WeWork director Jed Rothstein is forging landmark Sky documentary Once Upon a Time in Londongrad, exploring 14 mysterious deaths in the UK with alleged connections to Russia over two decades. Scroll down for the trailer.
Oscar-winning production outfit Rise Films is behind the show in association with in association with Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group, BuzzFeed Studios and Concordia Studio.
Helmed by investigative reporter Heidi Blake, the doc series is incredibly timely and will examine how Vladimir Putin’s two decades in power have made the UK reliant on Russian money and thereby led to missed opportunities to contain the Kremlin.
The deaths, which include high-profiles such as Alexander Litvinenko, will be explored in connection with the hidden underworld of Russian exiles in London, coming as high-profile Russians living in the UK such as former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich face sanctions. The issue has...
Oscar-winning production outfit Rise Films is behind the show in association with in association with Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group, BuzzFeed Studios and Concordia Studio.
Helmed by investigative reporter Heidi Blake, the doc series is incredibly timely and will examine how Vladimir Putin’s two decades in power have made the UK reliant on Russian money and thereby led to missed opportunities to contain the Kremlin.
The deaths, which include high-profiles such as Alexander Litvinenko, will be explored in connection with the hidden underworld of Russian exiles in London, coming as high-profile Russians living in the UK such as former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich face sanctions. The issue has...
- 5/16/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Peter Morgan, creator of award-winning The Crown, has shifted focus from royals to zoom in on Russian oligarchs as the topic of his new stage play Patriots. It has been fast-tracked to have its world premiere at London’s Almeida Theatre in July with Tom Hollander (The Night Manager) cast to portray Boris Berezovsky, a one-time ally of Vladimir Putin.
News of the play comes at a time when the rarified world of wealthy Russians is prominent because of the sanctions that have been imposed on Kremlin moguls following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“I think when we did our first reading, we weren’t sure if there was a place for it,” Almeida Theatre artistic director Rupert Goold, who will direct the play, told Deadline during an exclusive interview.
He said that there was an awareness in London “of a really big Russian presence in London, you know,...
News of the play comes at a time when the rarified world of wealthy Russians is prominent because of the sanctions that have been imposed on Kremlin moguls following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“I think when we did our first reading, we weren’t sure if there was a place for it,” Almeida Theatre artistic director Rupert Goold, who will direct the play, told Deadline during an exclusive interview.
He said that there was an awareness in London “of a really big Russian presence in London, you know,...
- 5/5/2022
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Mip TV is just around the corner and, as ever, the content will be king. Deadline takes you through 15 of the best dramas set to light up the Croisette as the market returns in-person for the first time in three years. Read on for the best-in-class scripted projects heading to France from April 4-6.
Reginald The Vampire
Distributor: Cineflix Rights
Network: Syfy
Episodes: 10 x 60
This 10-parter starring Spider Man: No Way Home’s Jacob Batalon (pictured) and inspired by Johnny Truant’s Fat Vampire novels turns traditional vampire tropes on their head while draining the blood from modern-day beauty standards. Reginald (Batalon) is the unlikely hero who crashes headlong into a world populated by beautiful, fit and vain vampires while navigating numerous obstacles in his new undead life: the girl he loves but can’t be with, a bullying manager at work and the vampire chieftain who wants him deal.
Reginald The Vampire
Distributor: Cineflix Rights
Network: Syfy
Episodes: 10 x 60
This 10-parter starring Spider Man: No Way Home’s Jacob Batalon (pictured) and inspired by Johnny Truant’s Fat Vampire novels turns traditional vampire tropes on their head while draining the blood from modern-day beauty standards. Reginald (Batalon) is the unlikely hero who crashes headlong into a world populated by beautiful, fit and vain vampires while navigating numerous obstacles in his new undead life: the girl he loves but can’t be with, a bullying manager at work and the vampire chieftain who wants him deal.
- 3/29/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Roman Abramovich, a West-leaning Russian oligarch best known for owning the English football club Chelsea, and peace negotiators from Ukraine were likely poisoned during a meeting in Kyiv at the beginning of March, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.
The negotiators, who had met with Russian counterparts in hopes of charting a path away from war, later experienced debilitating symptoms including “red eyes, constant and painful tearing, and peeling skin on their faces and hands,” the report says. (Abramovich was briefly blinded, though his eyesight has since returned,...
The negotiators, who had met with Russian counterparts in hopes of charting a path away from war, later experienced debilitating symptoms including “red eyes, constant and painful tearing, and peeling skin on their faces and hands,” the report says. (Abramovich was briefly blinded, though his eyesight has since returned,...
- 3/28/2022
- by Tim Dickinson
- Rollingstone.com
From Leonardo DiCaprio to Steven Seagal, Tinseltown’s biggest names were once happy to hang out with the invading president. Are they all now cringing? Not entirely
It was one of those surreal moments when light entertainment mugs history. Vladimir Putin crooned the song Blueberry Hill at a children’s charity benefit in St Petersburg in 2010, as a crowd of celebrities – including Sharon Stone, Kevin Costner, Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn, Gérard Depardieu, Vincent Cassel and Monica Bellucci – clapped along like they were in kindergarten. When the politician reeled off the opening line – “I found my thrill” – thoughts of the Georgian invasion or the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko didn’t seem to be urgently popping into anyone’s head. Knowing what we know now, the spectacle plays more like Dr Evil’s rendition of Just the Two of Us – but far less funny. In 2022, after Putin’s ruthless assault on Ukraine,...
It was one of those surreal moments when light entertainment mugs history. Vladimir Putin crooned the song Blueberry Hill at a children’s charity benefit in St Petersburg in 2010, as a crowd of celebrities – including Sharon Stone, Kevin Costner, Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn, Gérard Depardieu, Vincent Cassel and Monica Bellucci – clapped along like they were in kindergarten. When the politician reeled off the opening line – “I found my thrill” – thoughts of the Georgian invasion or the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko didn’t seem to be urgently popping into anyone’s head. Knowing what we know now, the spectacle plays more like Dr Evil’s rendition of Just the Two of Us – but far less funny. In 2022, after Putin’s ruthless assault on Ukraine,...
- 3/7/2022
- by Phil Hoad
- The Guardian - Film News
In 2020, one of the first indications that all wasn’t right for a global TV industry just waking up to the threat of Covid was the Chinese delegation of buyers pulling out of the BBC Studios Showcase.
As revealed by Variety on Feb. 5, 2020, around 20 Chinese companies skipped the early February event due to travel bans in place for parts of China following the coronavirus outbreak, whose death toll had just surpassed that of Sars.
Two years later, world events are again affecting London Screenings. Several senior distribution sources have told Variety that most representatives from Russian streamers, broadcasters and distributors, as well as Ukrainian media companies, have canceled their trips to the U.K. for London Screenings this week due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
While travel is bordering on the impossible due to bans on Russian flights in the U.K. airspace, there’s also a growing chorus...
As revealed by Variety on Feb. 5, 2020, around 20 Chinese companies skipped the early February event due to travel bans in place for parts of China following the coronavirus outbreak, whose death toll had just surpassed that of Sars.
Two years later, world events are again affecting London Screenings. Several senior distribution sources have told Variety that most representatives from Russian streamers, broadcasters and distributors, as well as Ukrainian media companies, have canceled their trips to the U.K. for London Screenings this week due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
While travel is bordering on the impossible due to bans on Russian flights in the U.K. airspace, there’s also a growing chorus...
- 2/28/2022
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
HBO is developing Londongrad, a limited series based on Alan Cowell’s book The Terminal Spy, about poisoned Kbg agent Alexander Litvinenko, with Benedict Cumberbatch set to star as Litvinenko, Deadline has confirmed. Cumberbatch also will executive produce the project via his Sunnymarch production banner.
Written by David Scarpa, Londongrad tells the true story of Alexander Litvinenko, played by Cumberbatch, the former Kgb agent poisoned by the radioactive isotope Polonium-210 in 2006 in England.
Scarpa will executive produce with Cumberbatch. Bryan Fogel will direct and executive produce via Orwell Productions. Len Amato of Crash&Salvage also will executive produce alongside Adam Ackland and Claire Marshall of Sunnymarch.
On the television side, Cumberbatch received Emmy and BAFTA award nominations for his role as detective Sherlock Holmes in BBC’s Sherlock. He also recently starred as the title character in Showtime limited series Patrick Melrose. Cumberbatch received a leading actor Oscar nomination for his...
Written by David Scarpa, Londongrad tells the true story of Alexander Litvinenko, played by Cumberbatch, the former Kgb agent poisoned by the radioactive isotope Polonium-210 in 2006 in England.
Scarpa will executive produce with Cumberbatch. Bryan Fogel will direct and executive produce via Orwell Productions. Len Amato of Crash&Salvage also will executive produce alongside Adam Ackland and Claire Marshall of Sunnymarch.
On the television side, Cumberbatch received Emmy and BAFTA award nominations for his role as detective Sherlock Holmes in BBC’s Sherlock. He also recently starred as the title character in Showtime limited series Patrick Melrose. Cumberbatch received a leading actor Oscar nomination for his...
- 10/28/2021
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
This news is putty in our hands: Play-Doh Squished, a family competition special hosted by Modern Family vet Sarah Hyland, will premiere Friday, Dec. 10, exclusively on IMDb TV.
The one-hour program features three teams of two kids and two adults “going Doh-to-Doh in a series of fun and highly entertaining physical and creative challenges,” per the official description. “The holiday-themed reality competition special is set in a Play-Doh winter wonderland, where each team must combine imagination, inspiration, and holiday spirit to win the final cash prize.”
More from TVLineWhere Are Mia Ghosts? Which Holiday Fave Will Gac Steal Next? Best Seal Team Flashback Casting?...
The one-hour program features three teams of two kids and two adults “going Doh-to-Doh in a series of fun and highly entertaining physical and creative challenges,” per the official description. “The holiday-themed reality competition special is set in a Play-Doh winter wonderland, where each team must combine imagination, inspiration, and holiday spirit to win the final cash prize.”
More from TVLineWhere Are Mia Ghosts? Which Holiday Fave Will Gac Steal Next? Best Seal Team Flashback Casting?...
- 10/28/2021
- by Vlada Gelman
- TVLine.com
Benedict Cumberbatch is set to star in the limited series “Londongrad” currently in development at HBO, Variety has learned exclusively.
Based on the book “The Terminal Spy” by Alan Cowell, the series tells the true story of Alexander Litvinenko, the Kgb agent and later defector killed by poisoning with the radioactive isotope polonium-210 in 2006 in England. Cumberbatch will star as Litvinenko and will also serve as an executive producer on the project under his Sunnymarch banner.
David Scarpa is writing “Londongrad” and will also executive produce. Bryan Fogel will direct and executive produce via Orwell Productions. Len Amato of Crash&Salvage will executive produce as well alongside Adam Ackland and Claire Marshall of Sunnymarch.
Cumberbatch has held multiple highly-regarded TV roles during his career. Perhaps most famously, he played the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes in the BBC series “Sherlock,” for which he earned multiple Emmy and BAFTA nominations. He also recently...
Based on the book “The Terminal Spy” by Alan Cowell, the series tells the true story of Alexander Litvinenko, the Kgb agent and later defector killed by poisoning with the radioactive isotope polonium-210 in 2006 in England. Cumberbatch will star as Litvinenko and will also serve as an executive producer on the project under his Sunnymarch banner.
David Scarpa is writing “Londongrad” and will also executive produce. Bryan Fogel will direct and executive produce via Orwell Productions. Len Amato of Crash&Salvage will executive produce as well alongside Adam Ackland and Claire Marshall of Sunnymarch.
Cumberbatch has held multiple highly-regarded TV roles during his career. Perhaps most famously, he played the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes in the BBC series “Sherlock,” for which he earned multiple Emmy and BAFTA nominations. He also recently...
- 10/28/2021
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Market
ITV Studios has unveiled a raft of pre-sales for several of its titles and released details about its scripted slate of shows which the company will present to buyers from around the world at its Fall Festival Drama day, Wednesday Oct. 6.
Commissioned by ITV and Nordic Entertainment Group (Nent), the new drama series “Litvinenko,” from writer George Kay, is a four-part true-crime drama starring David Tennant. The series, which is produced by Patrick Spence, ITV Studios and Tiger Aspect Productions, recounts the real-life story of Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian Federal Security Services and Kgb officer was killed by polonium poisoning in 2006, initiating one of the Metropolitan Police’s most complicated investigations in its history.
Pre-sales deals announced by ITV Studios include major series “The Ipcress File,” “The Long Call,” and “Showtrial,” and a number of shows will hit the market next week including “Our House” (Red Planet Pictures...
ITV Studios has unveiled a raft of pre-sales for several of its titles and released details about its scripted slate of shows which the company will present to buyers from around the world at its Fall Festival Drama day, Wednesday Oct. 6.
Commissioned by ITV and Nordic Entertainment Group (Nent), the new drama series “Litvinenko,” from writer George Kay, is a four-part true-crime drama starring David Tennant. The series, which is produced by Patrick Spence, ITV Studios and Tiger Aspect Productions, recounts the real-life story of Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian Federal Security Services and Kgb officer was killed by polonium poisoning in 2006, initiating one of the Metropolitan Police’s most complicated investigations in its history.
Pre-sales deals announced by ITV Studios include major series “The Ipcress File,” “The Long Call,” and “Showtrial,” and a number of shows will hit the market next week including “Our House” (Red Planet Pictures...
- 9/30/2021
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
David Tennant To Star In ‘Litvinenko’ Poison Drama For ITV & Viaplay From ‘Lupin’ Creator George Kay
Exclusive: David Tennant is to play Alexander Litvinenko, who former Russian Federal Security Services and Kgb officer who was poisoned to death, in a drama series for ITV and Nordic Entertainment Group.
The former Doctor Who star, who recently played serial killer Dennis Nilsen in Des, stars alongside The Deuce’s Margarita Levieva, in the four-part series, which comes from Lupin creator George Kay.
It is the story of the determined Scotland Yard Officers who worked for ten years to prove who was responsible, in one of the most complex and dangerous investigations in the history of the Metropolitan Police.
The drama also focuses upon the story of Marina, played by Levieva, who has also recurred on The Blacklist and Revenge, Alexander’s fearless, dignified widow who fought tirelessly to persuade the British Government to publicly name her husband’s killers and acknowledge the role of the Russian State in his murder.
The former Doctor Who star, who recently played serial killer Dennis Nilsen in Des, stars alongside The Deuce’s Margarita Levieva, in the four-part series, which comes from Lupin creator George Kay.
It is the story of the determined Scotland Yard Officers who worked for ten years to prove who was responsible, in one of the most complex and dangerous investigations in the history of the Metropolitan Police.
The drama also focuses upon the story of Marina, played by Levieva, who has also recurred on The Blacklist and Revenge, Alexander’s fearless, dignified widow who fought tirelessly to persuade the British Government to publicly name her husband’s killers and acknowledge the role of the Russian State in his murder.
- 9/30/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
David Tennant is set to play Alexander Litvinenko, the Russian dissident who was murdered in London 2006, in a new drama from the Nent Group and ITV Studios.
Entitled Litvinenko, the four-part drama will premiere on Nent’s Viaplay streaming service and ITV, and has been scripted by George Kay, who co-created Netflix’s hit French drama Lupin.
Litvinenko was a former Russian Federal Security Services and Kgb officer whose death in London from polonium poisoning triggered one of the most complex and dangerous investigations in the history of London’s Metropolitan Police. The drama will tell the story of the determined Scotland Yard ...
Entitled Litvinenko, the four-part drama will premiere on Nent’s Viaplay streaming service and ITV, and has been scripted by George Kay, who co-created Netflix’s hit French drama Lupin.
Litvinenko was a former Russian Federal Security Services and Kgb officer whose death in London from polonium poisoning triggered one of the most complex and dangerous investigations in the history of London’s Metropolitan Police. The drama will tell the story of the determined Scotland Yard ...
- 9/30/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
David Tennant is set to play Alexander Litvinenko, the Russian dissident who was murdered in London 2006, in a new drama from the Nent Group and ITV Studios.
Entitled Litvinenko, the four-part drama will premiere on Nent’s Viaplay streaming service and ITV, and has been scripted by George Kay, who co-created Netflix’s hit French drama Lupin.
Litvinenko was a former Russian Federal Security Services and Kgb officer whose death in London from polonium poisoning triggered one of the most complex and dangerous investigations in the history of London’s Metropolitan Police. The drama will tell the story of the determined Scotland Yard ...
Entitled Litvinenko, the four-part drama will premiere on Nent’s Viaplay streaming service and ITV, and has been scripted by George Kay, who co-created Netflix’s hit French drama Lupin.
Litvinenko was a former Russian Federal Security Services and Kgb officer whose death in London from polonium poisoning triggered one of the most complex and dangerous investigations in the history of London’s Metropolitan Police. The drama will tell the story of the determined Scotland Yard ...
- 9/30/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Wondery Launches First UK Podcast
U.S. podcast publisher Wondery is launching its first international podcast in the shape of British Scandal, which will unpick famous UK scandals including the Cambridge Analytica data breach and the Alexander Litvinenko poisoning. Hosted by former BBC Radio 1 presenter Alice Levine and impressionist Matt Forde, the show will run for three seasons, with each deep diving on a different crisis. Season 1 centers on Litvinenko, while the second season examines David Kelly, the British scientist and weapons expert who was found dead in an Oxfordshire wood in 2003. Cambridge Analytica will be the subject of Season 3. “British Scandal is a riveting journey through seismic crises, political outrage and public uproar, with questions, theories and themes from the scandals still resonating across the world today,” said Declan Moore, head of international for Wondery. Russell Finch is the producer and the podcast premieres on April 27.
ITV Renews...
U.S. podcast publisher Wondery is launching its first international podcast in the shape of British Scandal, which will unpick famous UK scandals including the Cambridge Analytica data breach and the Alexander Litvinenko poisoning. Hosted by former BBC Radio 1 presenter Alice Levine and impressionist Matt Forde, the show will run for three seasons, with each deep diving on a different crisis. Season 1 centers on Litvinenko, while the second season examines David Kelly, the British scientist and weapons expert who was found dead in an Oxfordshire wood in 2003. Cambridge Analytica will be the subject of Season 3. “British Scandal is a riveting journey through seismic crises, political outrage and public uproar, with questions, theories and themes from the scandals still resonating across the world today,” said Declan Moore, head of international for Wondery. Russell Finch is the producer and the podcast premieres on April 27.
ITV Renews...
- 4/8/2021
- by Jake Kanter and Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
Succession writer and co-executive producer Lucy Prebble was last night awarded the 2019 Wellcome Screenwriting Fellowship, the prestigious UK screenwriting bursary given by the charitable organization the Wellcome Trust in partnership with the BFI and Film4.
The Fellowship awards a screenwriter £30,000 to explore the intersection between screenwriting, health and science and gives the writer access to cutting edge scientific and humanities research. Previous winners include Jonathan Glazer, Michaela Coel and Sally Wainwright.
Acclaimed playwright and screenwriter Prebble, a WGA and Emmy nominee, is among the most fitting recipients, given that she used to write a weekly tech column for UK national newspaper The Observer.
She said yesterday, “I am hoping to explore issues of biology and transformation for a horror film I am planning to write, as well as looking into the amazing collection of curiosities and information on the golden age of magic that their (Wellcome Collection) recent exhibition has housed,...
The Fellowship awards a screenwriter £30,000 to explore the intersection between screenwriting, health and science and gives the writer access to cutting edge scientific and humanities research. Previous winners include Jonathan Glazer, Michaela Coel and Sally Wainwright.
Acclaimed playwright and screenwriter Prebble, a WGA and Emmy nominee, is among the most fitting recipients, given that she used to write a weekly tech column for UK national newspaper The Observer.
She said yesterday, “I am hoping to explore issues of biology and transformation for a horror film I am planning to write, as well as looking into the amazing collection of curiosities and information on the golden age of magic that their (Wellcome Collection) recent exhibition has housed,...
- 11/28/2019
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
‘The Crown’s Claire Foy & Matt Smith To Reunite On Stage In The Old Vic’s Environmental Play ‘Lungs’
The Crown’s Claire Foy and Matt Smith are reuniting after their royal outing – this time on stage at London’s The Old Vic Theatre.
The pair are set to star in Duncan Macmillan’s Lungs, an “emotional environmental rollercoaster”. The play, which is directed by The Old Vic’s Artistic Director Matthew Warchus, who previously directed Broadway musical Matilda, is set around the melting ice caps, overpopulation and political unrest as they bring a baby into the world.
“Hot on the heels of the Extinction Rebellion consciousness-raising demonstrations, there’s an extremely limited run of Duncan Macmillan’s dazzlingly vibrant and profound two-hander, Lungs, which sees a conflicted couple wrestle with huge contemporary dilemmas surrounding the responsibility of bringing new life into an increasingly precarious world,” said Warchus.
Elsewhere, The Good Wife’s Alan Cumming and Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, who is currently featuring in TBS comedy Miracle Workers,...
The pair are set to star in Duncan Macmillan’s Lungs, an “emotional environmental rollercoaster”. The play, which is directed by The Old Vic’s Artistic Director Matthew Warchus, who previously directed Broadway musical Matilda, is set around the melting ice caps, overpopulation and political unrest as they bring a baby into the world.
“Hot on the heels of the Extinction Rebellion consciousness-raising demonstrations, there’s an extremely limited run of Duncan Macmillan’s dazzlingly vibrant and profound two-hander, Lungs, which sees a conflicted couple wrestle with huge contemporary dilemmas surrounding the responsibility of bringing new life into an increasingly precarious world,” said Warchus.
Elsewhere, The Good Wife’s Alan Cumming and Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, who is currently featuring in TBS comedy Miracle Workers,...
- 4/30/2019
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Something most people don’t know about Michael Cohen’s lawyer, Lanny Davis, is that he’s also currently representing a Ukrainian oligarch whose name is often linked to one of the most powerful mobsters in the world.
For the past four years, Davis — a 72-year-old former special counsel to former President Bill Clinton — has served as a registered foreign agent for Dmitry Firtash, who has been fighting to avoid extradition to Chicago, where he faces charges of international racketeering and money laundering. In registering with the Justice Department as Firtash’s foreign agent,...
For the past four years, Davis — a 72-year-old former special counsel to former President Bill Clinton — has served as a registered foreign agent for Dmitry Firtash, who has been fighting to avoid extradition to Chicago, where he faces charges of international racketeering and money laundering. In registering with the Justice Department as Firtash’s foreign agent,...
- 8/28/2018
- by Seth Hettena
- Rollingstone.com
Toronto Film Festival
TORONTO -- Despite a timely, intrigue-filled subject and a level of access that has now become impossible, "Rebellion" lacks the storytelling drive it needs to stand out on the documentary circuit. Theatrical prospects are limited, and an unconventional presentation makes for a tough sell on television.
Initially adopting a variation of the subjective factgathering approach favored by Nick Broomfield, director Andrei Nekrasov admits to viewers that he is dissatisfied with the account he gave to authorities when questioned about the death of his friend, the poisoned Russian FSB agent Alexander Litvinenko. This film, he says, will stand as his personal "testimony" on the matter.
Accordingly, he turns the camera on himself while making telephone calls, shows his silent attention as he interviews figures in the case, and even talks a bit about his student years in St. Petersburg, when he and his artist friends knew that one of their number reported on them for the KGB.
But Nekrasov's personality never emerges the way Broomfield's does, and he's also missing that knack for laying out one discovery after another to create a mystery that draws us in. In Nekrasov's hands, a mountain of damning testimony feels like less than it actually is; despite his personal investment, it sometimes comes across as a pile of data -- thematically related, but not particularly well organized -- instead of a story.
That's almost unforgivable, given a topic that's as globally important as it is juicy: Adding to recent investigative accounts in the print media, "Rebellion" contains much to suggest that the Russian government is rotten to the core.
"Nobody even talks about corruption any more," one interviewee says of the way things are now run there, indicating that mere bribery and cronyism are nothing compared to the thuggery -- starting with baldfaced threats and escalating to murder -- with which Russian officials protect their power. Other voices go further, asserting that the horrific Moscow bombings in 1999 were actually the work of Russian operatives who needed a reason to go to war in Chechnya. Various historical tidbits place President Vladimir Putin squarely in league with the villains, a truly chilling subject that deserves more forceful presentation.
(Storytelling problems aside, the pic is shot in such a distractingly eccentric style that mainstream audiences may dismiss it outright as the work of basement-dwelling conspiracy theorists.)
Much of the raw material Nekrasov has gathered would be useful in a more rigorous doc, although some moments play best here: After an interview with Litvinenko's alleged assassin Andrei Lugovoi, who goes into detail about the way radioactive material could be transmitted via teacup, the former KGB agent actually offers the journalist a cup of tea.
REBELLION: THE LITVINENKO CASE
No Distributor
Dreamscanner
Director: Andrei Nekrasov
Writers: Olga Konskaya, Andrei Nekrasov
Producer: Olga Konskaya
Director of photography: Marcus Winterbauer
Editor: Olga Konskaya
No MPAA rating, running time 109 minutes...
TORONTO -- Despite a timely, intrigue-filled subject and a level of access that has now become impossible, "Rebellion" lacks the storytelling drive it needs to stand out on the documentary circuit. Theatrical prospects are limited, and an unconventional presentation makes for a tough sell on television.
Initially adopting a variation of the subjective factgathering approach favored by Nick Broomfield, director Andrei Nekrasov admits to viewers that he is dissatisfied with the account he gave to authorities when questioned about the death of his friend, the poisoned Russian FSB agent Alexander Litvinenko. This film, he says, will stand as his personal "testimony" on the matter.
Accordingly, he turns the camera on himself while making telephone calls, shows his silent attention as he interviews figures in the case, and even talks a bit about his student years in St. Petersburg, when he and his artist friends knew that one of their number reported on them for the KGB.
But Nekrasov's personality never emerges the way Broomfield's does, and he's also missing that knack for laying out one discovery after another to create a mystery that draws us in. In Nekrasov's hands, a mountain of damning testimony feels like less than it actually is; despite his personal investment, it sometimes comes across as a pile of data -- thematically related, but not particularly well organized -- instead of a story.
That's almost unforgivable, given a topic that's as globally important as it is juicy: Adding to recent investigative accounts in the print media, "Rebellion" contains much to suggest that the Russian government is rotten to the core.
"Nobody even talks about corruption any more," one interviewee says of the way things are now run there, indicating that mere bribery and cronyism are nothing compared to the thuggery -- starting with baldfaced threats and escalating to murder -- with which Russian officials protect their power. Other voices go further, asserting that the horrific Moscow bombings in 1999 were actually the work of Russian operatives who needed a reason to go to war in Chechnya. Various historical tidbits place President Vladimir Putin squarely in league with the villains, a truly chilling subject that deserves more forceful presentation.
(Storytelling problems aside, the pic is shot in such a distractingly eccentric style that mainstream audiences may dismiss it outright as the work of basement-dwelling conspiracy theorists.)
Much of the raw material Nekrasov has gathered would be useful in a more rigorous doc, although some moments play best here: After an interview with Litvinenko's alleged assassin Andrei Lugovoi, who goes into detail about the way radioactive material could be transmitted via teacup, the former KGB agent actually offers the journalist a cup of tea.
REBELLION: THE LITVINENKO CASE
No Distributor
Dreamscanner
Director: Andrei Nekrasov
Writers: Olga Konskaya, Andrei Nekrasov
Producer: Olga Konskaya
Director of photography: Marcus Winterbauer
Editor: Olga Konskaya
No MPAA rating, running time 109 minutes...
Director Michael Mann has entered the race against Johnny Depp to make a film about Alexander Litvinenko, the ex-KGB agent who was fatally poisoned in London last year. Mann's film is based on the unpublished book Death Of A Dissident, which is being written by Litvinenko's widow Marina and Alex Goldfarb, who reportedly had close ties with the spy. The movie will focus on the Russian power structure enforced by the KGB and its successor the FRS and the "Wild West capitalism" that followed glasnost, with Litvinenko caught in the middle. Meanwhile, Depp's production company and Warner Bros have just announced plans to make a film based on the book Sasha's Story: The Life And Death Of A Russian Spy, which is currently being written by New York Times London Bureau Chief Alan Cowell. British police are still investigating Litvinenko's death, after traces of lethal radiation were found in his body when he was admitted to hospital three weeks before he died.
- 1/16/2007
- WENN
Hollywood is racing to tell the story of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko, who died of radiation poisoning in November in London under mysterious circumstances that many observers likened to an international spy movie.
Columbia Pictures said Friday that Michael Mann is attached to direct an espionage thriller about the poisoning for producers Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher of Red Wagon Prods. Warner Bros. Pictures is eyeing the same story as a potential starring vehicle for Johnny Depp.
To stake its claim in the race, Columbia has snapped up rights to "Death of a Dissident", a forthcoming book about the agent's murder by Alexander Goldfarb, a close friend of Litvinenko, and Litvinenko's widow, Marina. It also has acquired Marina Litvinenko's life rights.
For its part, Warners has grabbed film rights to the unpublished book "Sasha's Story: The Life and Death of a Russian Spy," which will be written by New York Times London bureau chief Alan Cowell and published in the U.S.
Columbia Pictures said Friday that Michael Mann is attached to direct an espionage thriller about the poisoning for producers Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher of Red Wagon Prods. Warner Bros. Pictures is eyeing the same story as a potential starring vehicle for Johnny Depp.
To stake its claim in the race, Columbia has snapped up rights to "Death of a Dissident", a forthcoming book about the agent's murder by Alexander Goldfarb, a close friend of Litvinenko, and Litvinenko's widow, Marina. It also has acquired Marina Litvinenko's life rights.
For its part, Warners has grabbed film rights to the unpublished book "Sasha's Story: The Life and Death of a Russian Spy," which will be written by New York Times London bureau chief Alan Cowell and published in the U.S.
- 1/15/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hollywood is racing to tell the story of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko, who died of radiation poisoning in London in November under mysterious circumstance that many observers likened to an international spy movie.
?Columbia Pictures announced Friday that Michael Mann is attached to direct an espionage thriller about the poisoning for producers Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher of Red Wagon Prods. Warner Bros. Pictures is eyeing the same story as a potential starring vehicle for Johnny Depp.
?To stake its claim in the race, Columbia has snapped up rights to "Death of a Dissident", a forthcoming book about the murder by Alexander Goldfarb, a close friend of Litvinenko, and Litvinenko's widow Marina. It has also has acquired Marina Litvinenko's life rights.
?For its part, Warners has grabbed film rights to the unpublished book "Sasha's Story: The Life and Death of a Russian Spy," which will be authored by New York Times London bureau chief Alan Cowell and published in the U.S.
?Columbia Pictures announced Friday that Michael Mann is attached to direct an espionage thriller about the poisoning for producers Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher of Red Wagon Prods. Warner Bros. Pictures is eyeing the same story as a potential starring vehicle for Johnny Depp.
?To stake its claim in the race, Columbia has snapped up rights to "Death of a Dissident", a forthcoming book about the murder by Alexander Goldfarb, a close friend of Litvinenko, and Litvinenko's widow Marina. It has also has acquired Marina Litvinenko's life rights.
?For its part, Warners has grabbed film rights to the unpublished book "Sasha's Story: The Life and Death of a Russian Spy," which will be authored by New York Times London bureau chief Alan Cowell and published in the U.S.
- 1/13/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IGN reports that Pirates of the Caribbean star Johnny Depp is in the running to portray former KGB officer and recently-poisoned Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko in the feature adaptation of the unpublished book, Sasha's Story: The Life and Death of a Russian Spy. Depp's production company Infinitum Nihil and Warner Bros. optioned the book currently being written by New York Times London bureau chief Alan Cowell. The project will examine Litvinenko's life and his claims that his death, which is still under investigation, was ordered by Russian president Vladimir Putin. Depp has several tomes in development at the moment, including the spiritual drama Inamorata, rom-com The People's Act of Love and the graphic novel Rex Mundi. He begins filming Tim Burton's musical Sweeney Todd next month.
- 1/12/2007
- IMDbPro News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.